Football
• Texans LB Dobbins fined $30K: Houston Texans linebacker Tim Dobbins was fined $30,000 on Wednesday for a helmet-to-helmet hit that gave Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler a concussion. Dobbins said he plans to appeal. The hit came in the second quarter of Houston’s 13-6 win on Sunday night when Dobbins hit a scrambling Cutler after he threw a pass. Cutler was past the line of scrimmage and called for an illegal forward pass on the play, and Dobbins was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
• QB Smith practices for 49ers: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith went through position work in a non-contact black jersey Wednesday, his status still unclear for Monday night’s NFC showdown with the Chicago Bears after he sustained a concussion Sunday against the Rams. Coach Jim Harbaugh kept an eye on Smith from several yards away as he worked with backup Colin Kaepernick and No. 3 QB Scott Tolzien to get his reps. Harbaugh said Smith experienced blurred vision on a 1-yard quarterback sneak early in the second quarter of Sunday’s 24-24 tie.
• Roethlisberger out vs. Ravens: Ben Roethlisberger’s sprained right shoulder is just the start of his problems. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said Wednesday he also dislocated a rib while getting sacked in the third quarter of Monday night’s win against Kansas City. Roethlisberger sprained the SC joint in his shoulder on the play but says the rib issue is a bigger concern. Roethlisberger said doctors are concerned the rib could cut into his aorta. He’s already been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Backup Byron Leftwich will start in his place, though Roethlisberger doesn’t believe the injuries will end his season.
Skiing
• Vonn released from hospital: Lindsey Vonn was released from a hospital in Colorado on Wednesday, although details of her illness remain unclear and there is no indication of when she can begin skiing again. “Lindsey is feeling much better today and has been released from the hospital," Vonn’s publicist, Lewis Kay, wrote in an email. “She is resting comfortably at home. Doctors are still working to determine what specifically was the cause of her illness, but thankfully she has responded well to their treatment. ... We do not know when she will be able to return to the mountain and will update as her health improves." The four-time overall World Cup champion and Olympic downhill gold medalist was admitted to the hospital in Vail on Monday and stayed two nights.
Soccer
• U.S. men tie Russia: Mix Diskerud scored his first international goal in the third minute of injury time, giving the United States a 2-2 tie against Russia on Wednesday in an exhibition game at Krasnodar. Michael Bradley scored in the 76th minute for the Americans.
Baseball
• Hunter agrees with Tigers:Free agent outfielder Torii Hunter has agreed to a $26 million, two-year deal with Detroit, giving the Tigers a capable corner outfielder coming off an impressive season at age 37. A person with knowledge of the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday because no announcement had been made, confirmed the deal and said Hunter has a physical scheduled for Friday. Hunter hit a career-best .313 last season for the Los Angeles Angels with 16 home runs and 92 RBIs.
— From wire reports
